Sunrise
by star-gazing-in-LA
Summary: Both knew that they would never look at a sunrise the same way again." A short, fluffy Ichiruki drabble, with minor Rneji Rukia hints. My first Bleach fanfiction. ICHIXRUKI


Enjoy this cute little Ichiruki drabble that I just came up with! Because everybody loves a fluffy moment from thier favorite All-Time couple of Bleach!

Disclaimer: No, I am NOT Tite Kubo. If you need proof, just check my Birth Certificate. XD *hands copies out* :D

ENJOY!!!!!XD

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Ichigo Kurosaki awoke, dazed, from a black, dreamless sleep. His bones ached unexpectedly; he felt tired, and lowered his head back down into the soft pillow. However, after a few moments of an annoying nagging sensation pulling at the back of his mind, he forced himself from the warm sheets and stood, swaying slightly, on his feet.

"Rukia?" he whispered.

Carefully, he tip-toed over to the closet and pulled the large door away, revealing a small lump of blankets and a shock of black, purple-tinged hair. "Rukia, are you alright?"

The girl lazily opened one bright violet eye, peeking up at him. "Hmmm? Oh…yeah, Ichigo. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

A small smile came to the girl's lips, followed by a light laugh. "Yes. Now, please, go back to bed. You need your rest, you know."

Ichigo smirked, running a hand through his unkempt, bright carrot-orange hair. "Fine, as long as you promise not to make too much noise in there. My sisters are gonna get up soon."

Rukia's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? Noise?"

"Yeah. You were tossing and turning around in there, and it was getting kind of obnoxious after about three hours."

The girl snorted. "Whatever. Just…shut the door, will you?"

With a final grin, Ichigo complied, then turned and collapsed back onto the spring-mattress. It gave a loud creak underneath him, and he punched it absentmindedly. After what seemed like ten minutes, Ichigo closed his eyes and stretched his arms out behind his head. "Hey, Rukia?"

Only a slight snoring noise greeted him. Ichigo cracked a slight smile; she was so odd when she did that. He wondered how many times she lay awake and thought the same thing about him when only his loud breathing echoed in her ears.

"Um…Ichi-nii?"

The boy sighed, waving a hand above his head as if his little sister were already there in the room with him. "Yeah, Yuzu?"

"Can I…come in?"

"Sure."

Nervously, the small girl poked her head around the side of the door and giggled once she saw her older brother laying promped up against his pillows with a serene look on his flushed face, one long arm and leg hanging awkwardly off of the slightly-too small bed. "Oh, Goodmorning, Ichi! Would you like some breakfast? I made a large stack of chocolate-chip pancakes!"

Ichigo opened his eyes. "Thanks, Yuzu, but I'm not too hungry right now."

Yuzu's face fell for a split second, but she quickly smiled again and slipped back out. "Okay! If you get hungry, though, I'll warm them up for you again!"

"Thank you…" he called, as her small head disappeared back behind the door. He waited patiently until her light footsteps faded away, then relaxed. "Rukia?"

"Mmm…?"

"You're…alright in there, aren't you?"

"Urgh, of _course _I am, Strawberry. I'm fine _every_ night."

Ichigo pulled a face, disgruntled with the annoying nickname she knew that he hated. "Okay, fine…_Midget_."

"Shut up."

"_You_ shut up!"

Rukia didn't even bother replying again, just settled back down into the sheets (which was only a muffled rustle to Ichigo's ears, who was eyeing the closet suspiciously), and smiled slightly. "It seems early."

The orange-haired girl chuckled; he knew that he couldn't really stay so angry at her for long, no matter how minor or large the fight. "Five in the morning. Can you hear the birds outside…?"

Rukia's smile grew as she strained her ears against the thick wood between her and the window across Ichigo's bedroom. She wished, for a moment, that they were sitting side by side on his bed, enjoying the beautiful morning sounds and the soft wind against her cheeks. Quietly, she cracked the door open a bit and slipped out, pulling the over-sized night-gown that she had slept in tighter around her shoulders to keep away the cool autumn chill. "Can I…sit next to you, Ichigo…?"

Ichigo smiled and nodded, gently patting the empty space beside him. The petite girl hauled herself onto the bed and dangled her small legs off of the side, swinging them back and forth slowly. She reached out and opened the window a tiny bit, letting the breeze wash over her and refresh her senses. It was still so odd to find that such small pleasures that could warm the heart could reside in the World of the Living…with Ichigo. As if reading her thoughts, he looked over at her and smiled slightly that signature smirk that he was known for…but it had a softer feel to it, and she returned it just as kindly. "Ichigo," she whispered at last, making him turn his head towards her again. "This is…so nice…"

His soft smile widened. "I'm glad you like it, Rukia," he murmured. "It's beautiful, isn't it…?"

The girl nodded. To her surprise, the sky was slowly being painted over with different bright shades, rose-colored pink and lilac purple. It was as if the sky were an endless, white canvas, being covered in the most tranquil rainbow. "I should tell Renji about this," she said aloud. "Maybe, someday, I could show its lovely colors to him…" She closed her eyes for just a moment picturing Ichigo's large, warm body beside her and imagining it as her caring, childhood friend.

"Would he…like it?" Ichigo's smile turned to a grimace, and he hoped that she wouldn't see. He didn't know the extent of comfort and security that his warm grin gave her, but then again, he didn't know how much Renji's gave her, either.

"Oh, yes," she whispered with a light laugh. "You see, sunrises and sunsets here are…so much different from those in the Soul Society. Their colors are more lively, but not as…warm, and calming." She flexed her stiff shoulders that were a bit cramped form curling up in Ichigo's closet and breathed deeply in the scent of crisp, new fallen leaves.

"Rukia…" he murmured. She turned over at him, and caught sight of his solid frown. Immediately, the bright smile disappeared from her face, and she turned her head away. With his reassuring grin gone, she suddenly felt as though the chill was piercing right through the light cotton dress. Her hands wrung nervously at the hem, the clean white fabric wrinkling in her tight grip. "Please, don't," he urged her, trying to bring back the shine in her violet eyes.

She didn't reply, just raised her gaze to his saddened face. "Ich…igo…" Slowly, she moved her hand from her dress and grazed her fingertips against his lightly, and for a moment her eyes brightened at his suddenly flushed face.

"How are the sunrises here, Miss Death God?" he laughed, relieved to see a slight smile curve the edges of her pale lips.

"Lovely, Sir Substitute," Rukia replied, raising her other hand to her lips to stifle a giggle that almost sounded like a snort.

"Good," Ichigo said softly. They locked gazes, a depth in each other's eyes that neither were quite sure how to approach.

"Ichigo," Rukia whispered. His smile was back; she could feel warm again. His hair and his eyes were enveloped in a fiery glow from the rising sun, and he noted the way the light made her pale cheeks looked slightly flushed and her hair took on a more red tinge. "The sunrise…makes me think of…my regrets…" Her eyes were cast downward, but she quickly raised them to observe the peak of bright yellow sun climbing across the horizon.

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Your…regrets?"

"Yes." Rukia sighed. "It's…as if, I have been trapped in an endless darkness, the grass shading underneath my feet, my shadow devouring my weaknesses and emotions until it soon grew large enough to engulf me…"

The orange-haired boy's smile faltered for a second, knowing full well that she would of course notice.

Rukia took a deep breath and continued, slowly, her eyes still transfixed by the ever-growing and brightening sun. "…yet, this sunrise…has reminded me that I now have…life. Death…is just the beginning, after all." Her eyes softened at the familiar quote that she had been reassured with by a certain Substitute Shinigami after rescuing her complete existence on earth. "And my regrets seem to…falter, underneath the rising sun."

"Rukia," Ichigo whispered, his voice so soft that it was barely audible, even to the girl's trained ears. "Do you regret…giving me your powers…giving me…" he paused, his face flushed with worry. "yourself?"

The girl laughed quietly. "Ichigo…" she murmured. "No. In fact…it is…what makes the sunrise ever so sweeter."

He smiled, noticing that their fingertips had met again, out of what seemed heir own accord.

"My regrets," he said tenderly. "disappear in the moonrise. The white moon, washing away the shadows that plague my heart."

"_The rain plagues Black Sun's world…" _Rukia whispered knowingly, the words suddenly jumping to her tongue.

"…_Rain dried by White Moon._" Ichigo finished, attempting to draw in breath to his lungs but failing. He suddenly had the unexplainable urge to reach out to her, to hold her hand and be her Sunrise. And Rukia needed to touch him, flutter her fingertips across his cheek and be his White Moon, his Moonrise.

"Ichigo…" she whispered, breathless. Oxygen seemed to be escaping them at this moment. "…your…regrets?"

"Saving you--"

Her eyes fell.

"--made _my_ moonrise ever so sweeter."

She raised her face to meet his gaze, seeing a warmth that had rose to his eyes and made her shudder. Without thinking, she brought her lips to his fiercely. His eyes widened, but he kissed her back just as passionately, wrapping his strong arms around her thin waist. When they pulled away from the sweet exchange, her eyes filled with tears. "Ichigo Kurosaki…my…Black Sun…"

He tightened his grip around her. "Rukia Kuchiki," he whispered gently. "My White Moon."

They stared into each others' eyes for what seemed like ages, basking in the light that warmed their bodies, until Ichigo broke the comfortable silence.

"Yo," he said loudly, that determined look and air taking hold of him. "Whenever you need me, Rukia…I'll always be around."

She laughed lightly, her voice sounding like a tinkling bell to his ears. "And all _you _need to do is call."

His signature grin rose to his face, and she smirked. "Will you need a reminder to how much you need me?" Rukia taunted.

But Ichigo shook his head, that heated smile still warming his lips. "No. I've already come to come to that conclusion all by myself."

Neither needed another sign to know that their hearts were connected.

_As their lips met once more, both knew that they would never look at a sunrise the same again._

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Awww!!!!!XD R&R, plz, if you liked it!

PS: The song I used for Inspiration is "Give (Until There's Nothing Left)" by Reliant K. Check it out!

--Star-gazing


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